The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-10-13
CHAPTER VI.

"SSStIy SSS1t!!sHasI2SMM- the Whole day.
'~'S'''-S''1' "llilmar ha'
gone out into the country with hi
portfolio" he said, taking his place q
the table. ole will probably return
tomorrow or the day after"
II am glad he is away" said Mari.
anne. ~ will have his chamber
thoroughly cleaned"
Desircc turned pale.
"llc must have gone in the night
she said. '1was awake very early, but
did not hear the slightest sound in tho
house"
'We need not trouble ourselves if he
stays away week." remarked Mari
anne, coolly.
'Unclc, you are ill!n cried Dcsirce,
suddenly, and, bending over him. she
graspcd his hand. you look as if YOU
had had bad night"
81 have not slept, - he answered, with
a faint smile. 81 have been kept
awake by many anXictics. I shall leave
directly for the consultations"
'You will not renew your practice
at time like this?' asked Marianne,
in terror "Think of yourself and OF
us. i am mortally afraid of typhus"
at would be an unworthy physician
who thought of himself in such a crisis.
Are you afraid, Papillon?"
Eyes, very much So" she said,
.blushing, rs if in shame at her weak
mess. "But if one / loved needed my
help as nurse l should not hesitate to
give it."
{ The doctor, on his return at noon from
the consultation, looked grave and anx-
ious.
"Wc hope that in town the disease
will be confined to isolated cascs.n he
said; "but in the outlying villages il has
become epidemic. You will see but
little of me. ! must do all | can. and
l would like my meals ut as early an
hour as possible"
All at once DcSircc laid her hand
upon his arm, and gazing intcntly into
his face, said, with trcmulous voice:
"Unclc. do you think our Guest has
taken tho route to the villngrS?'
A sudden pain as from some sharp
instrument shot through the doctors
heart, but he answered, calmly:
"That is scarce Imaginable. Tho
picturesque region Ussikow frcqucnts
for skeiching lies "nstwardiy from here
The epidemic RACES in the villages &c
the west. He may return this evening" "
dav folIo,vinn Arnin, ~ ,I,.,, ~ =.
ony tbipn haI ha,,ln'',I ''., w. '''' -
vonId h,To Lnnn .ni,t Nt,,;n '',u WY 1:,
NOT euf,nr ,,,,,,,,, a,':'. ,'','
Dociron ,vo,d,rnI rn.,1n..I'. I'','s' 'L's',. ""' n
Garden and trry,cc ooyino+ of,an ''' ho'",, ,',,,
the forest path for sHmn nI;,nnsaoF ~ w. t%" -
absent ono '
"C,o,o,no 10 ior., mo. o,ro
pussor loin do toi!'
echoed constant refrain in her heart
though the lips were silent. 1t seemed
already months since he went away.
The doctor plunged into his practice
with fcvcrish ardor 1t came as n God.
send to divert his thoughts. The viru-
lent cases in the town increased rapid
ly. For the first time the dcsiroyirc
angel of pcstilcncc had invaded this
peaceful valley. The little hosuitol
soon ovcrnowcd There was uroont
need Of nurses. Solitary cases of self
sacrifice, displayed by contrast the
cgotism of human nature in its
appalling nakcdncss. The general
motto was "Let him save him.
self who canm Abroad, the doe
tors energies were taxed TO thc
u most, his heart wrurr nv tbc snoc.
tacle of human misery; at home he met
only anxious faces. Marannc madcno
concealment of her Terror. Dosiron
fitted around pale and silent but with
n look of ssrangc forcboding in her
eyes. Ivan IL mis- bcwildcrmcnt broke
almost every dish he touched, and
turned things upside down. His GRAND
prescrvativo against disease was .
draught of whisky. Kothc, the cook
believed every half hour that she had
an attack of the murdorous fcvnr md
ran howlinp to her mistrcss Sho
wanted The doctor constantly an hand
and did not see why he could not nosI
his whole time in the vicinity of her
kitchen. Why should he RIM after
strangers and leave his own houschoId
in the lurchP Arnim, at the incessont
entreaty of his cousin. had prescribed
drops as o preventive. She scarce NJ.
lowed the vial out of her hand. Soeri-
6c;ol olo,,d, &c ,.I-o .-. e